Railroad-frog



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I. ALLEN.

RAILROAD FROG.

No. 431,427. Patented July 1, 1890.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I. ALLEN.

RAILROAD FROG.

N0. 431,427. Patented July 1, 1890.

x o o UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISRAEL ALLEN, OF TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAI LROAD-FROG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,427, dated July 1, 1890..

Application filed March 15, 1890. Serial No. 343,992. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISRAEL ALLEN, residing at Taunton, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Frogs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in railroad-frogs, and has for its object to produce a frog of simple construction, and which shall be effective in operation.

A further object is to provide a movable frog at the junction of two railroads which cross at a sharp angle, and so construct and arrange said frog that its operation shall be automatic when a train passes over it in one direction.

A further object is to provide a movable frog at the junction of two railroads which cross at a sharp angle, said frog being so constructed. and arranged that its action shall be automatic when trains pass over it in one direction, and the use of springs and other auxiliary devices dispensed with.

WVith these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of i the base-plate and cross plates secured thereto. Fig. 3 is a view on the line a: a: of Fig. 2. Fig. A is a side or edge view of the frog, showing the manner of pivoting the same. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional View on line y y of Fig. 2, and Fig. 7 is a similar view on line 2 .e' of Fig. 5.

My improved frog is particularly applicable for use where two railroads cross at a sharp angle; but I do not wish to be restricted in its use to roads crossing at such very sharp angle. I will, however, for convenience of illustration, describe the device as applied to roads crossing at quite a sharp angle.

Located centrally across a series of ties A ing perforations for the reception of pins 0, by

means of which latter tie-rods F are attached to said plates 0 and E. From their connection with the plates 0 E the tie-rods extend laterally from opposite sides of the base-plate B to points in proximity to the extremities of two of the ties A, and at or near their free ends are provided with upwardly-proj ecting lugs d and perforations d, the rod being adapted to receive suitable fastening devices, by means of which to secure the tie-rods to the ties. Between each pair of lugs (Z the outer rail 6 of a track and a guardrail e are secured in any suitable manner, the lugs serving to maintain said rails properly spaced from each other.

The cross-plate O is provided on. its face with two lugs h, having inclined inner faces, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and securely bolted to the base-plate A, at the end thereof nearest said plate (1, are two rails G G. The rails G G are disposed at an acute angle to each other and abut at their inner ends against the lugs h of plate G, at which point a V- shaped space is left between said plates, for a purpose which will presently appear.

Securely fixed to the base-plate B, at the end thereof opposite to that to which the rails G G are secured, are the inner extremities of two rails H H, which, meeting at a sharp acute angle, terminate as one rail at one edge of the cross-plate E. In other words, the rail I-I terminates at the center of the plate E, and the rail H is so beveled and arranged in such proximity to the rail II as to terminate at the same point, as shown in Fig. 1.

The cross-plates D and E are provided on their upper faces with lugs g f, the inner faces of which are inclined or beveled, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, such inclination being the same as that of the lugs 71, so that straight lines drawn from one lug to the other will run parallel with the inclined or beveled faces of all the lugs.

Located between the inner ends of the rails G G is a wedge-shaped block I, which block is secured in position by means of bolts 1 passing transversely through it, the rails G G, and fish-plates applied to said rails. Project-ing from the smaller end of the block I and over a portion of the cross-plate C is a perforated lug or car J, and located on the cross-plates O D E and between the lugs f g h is a frog K, having an ear or lug J. The lug or car J is made with a perforation J for the reception of a pivot-pin J by means of which the frog K is hinged to the wedgeshaped block I.

The frog K is preferably made of a single piece of solid steel having two rails L L thereon and a space L between them for the reception of the flange of a car-wheel. If desired, the frog K may be made of two rails secured together.

Where the'device is to 'be used upon a single-track road where trains run in both directions on the same track, the hinged frog K .will be connected with a switch-stand or by means of suitable levers with a switch-tower. When such appliances are necessary, an ear M will be formed on one edge of the pivoted frog K at a point near the free end thereof and one end of a connecting-rod N pivoted to this car, the other end of said connectingrod being connected to a switch-stand or other operating device. Now it will be seen that when a train running from left to right over the frog on either track the guard-rails of the track upon which the train is running will cause the flange of the wheel to automatically shift the pivoted frog into proper alignment.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The" combination, with crossingwracks andhinged frog,of cross-plates forming bearings forand limiting the lateral movements of the frog, and tie-rods connecting said crossplates with the outer rails of the tracks, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with crossing-tracks and hinged frog, of a base-plate lying beneath the frog, and tie-rods extending from thisbaseplate outward, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with crossing-tracks and hinged frog, of a base-plate, guard-rails stationed adjacent to the outer rails of the tracks, and tie-rods connecting the base-plate and guard and outer rails together, substantially as set forth.

'4. The combination, with cross-tracks, ties, base-plate, and hinged frog located on the base-plate and between the ends of the central rails of the track, of tie-rods connecting the base-plate and the outer rails of the tracks, and means for swinging the hinged frog,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with two railroads which cross, of a base-plate, cross-plates secured thereto, tie-rods connecting said crossplates with the railroad-ties, two rails 011 each end of the base-plate, and a pivoted frog connecting the rails on the opposite ends of the base-plate, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with two railroads which cross, of a base-plate, two rails on each end thereof, a pivoted frog adapted to connect the rails on opposite ends of the base-plate, tie-rods connecting the base-plate and railroad-ties, lugs on said tie-rods, and a rail and a guard-rail held between said lugs, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ISRAEL ALLEN.

Witnesses:

PERCIVAL C. LINCOLN, T. LIZZIE DUNBAR. 

